SSCC welcomes Mediterranean folk band April 6

Southern State Community College will welcome Mediterranean folk band Baladino at 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 6, in the Edward K. Daniels Auditorium on SSCC’s Central Campus, 100 Hobart Drive, Hillsboro. The concert is free and open to the public.

Baladino will visit Southern State as part of a multi-city tour coordinated by Arts Midwest, a nonprofit organization which promotes creativity, nurtures cultural leadership, and engages people in meaningful arts experiences in the Midwest region.

The ensemble’s name is a combination of “Baladi” and “Ladino” and both words represent central themes in the ensemble’s vision. “Baladi” means “land” in Arabic, and “Ladino” refers to both the language and culture of Sephardic Jews who lived in Spain until the 15th century. The music played by Baladino comes from its homeland—Israel—a country composed of diaspora Jews who migrated from different parts of the world. These migrations have enriched the area, and the musical influences from the Middle East, Europe, and Africa became a major part of Israeli culture.

As Israelis born to mostly Middle Eastern immigrant parents, Baladino members find a deep connection to their parents’ countries of origin, both musically and culturally. The Ladino songs the band plays have been passed on from generation to generation and Baladino is now sharing them worldwide. Baladino ensemble members—

· Tomer Moked is a brilliant string player and musical arranger;

· Daniel Sapir provides an inspired foundation on the string bass;

· Yael Badash brings rich vocals to the mix;

· Yonnie Dror adds wonderful color with a variety of wind instruments; and

· Yshai Afterman holds it all together on percussion with mesmerizing Mediterranean rhythm.

To learn more about the work and mission of Arts Midwest, please visit www.artsmidwest.org. For more information about Baladino, visit www.baladino.com. Have questions about the April 6 event at Southern State? Call 1-800-628-7722, ext. 2676.